The wind barrier shimmered, completely shutting out prying eyes from outside.
Keqing hesitated slightly, then spoke bluntly: "I'll get straight to the point."
"The Archon's assassination has greatly impacted Liyue, but the most pressing issue right now is still the adepti at Jueyun Karst."
"The adepti forged a contract with the Archon to protect Liyue and have followed him for millennia. If they learn the Archon was killed during the Rite of Descension, they will be furious and blame the Qixing for dereliction of duty."
"If the Fatui fan the flames, the adepti may even suspect the Qixing assassinated the Archon in order to seize control of Liyue. To be frank, we do want to take over Liyue's governance, but we would never harm the Archon."
"All these years, it's precisely because of the Archon's protection that Liyue has been so prosperous and stable. Generations of Qixing have followed in his footsteps. Our philosophies may differ, but the Archon will forever be the god of Liyue."
"However, the adepti have long resided in Jueyun Karst and may not understand the dynamic between the Qixing and the Archon. So Ningguang and I thought to invite Mr. Ken and the Traveler to serve as envoys, to go to Jueyun Karst and explain the matter to the adepti from an objective standpoint."
"Of course… if necessary, you could gently guide the conversation to avoid conflict between the adepti and the Qixing. This is also the main reason Ningguang wanted to invite the Traveler to the Jade Chamber."
Since Ken and Lumine were unwilling to go to the Jade Chamber, Keqing decided to say it here.
With the wind barrier up, no one else would overhear this conversation anyway.
"Aren't you suspecting we're the culprits? Why are you asking us to be envoys now?" Paimon floated midair, pouting.
Keqing looked apologetic. "I'm sorry. In that situation, Ningguang had no choice. But we know you aren't the killers. It was a stopgap measure—we had to give the people an explanation."
"If we hadn't done that, the public might have turned their anger on the Qixing, which wouldn't be good for Liyue… so please forgive us."
While Keqing didn't agree with all of Ningguang's methods, on this particular matter Ningguang hadn't been wrong.
It wasn't meant to target the Traveler in particular… It was purely because Paimon stole the offerings and walked right into it.
"I understand… but I'm sorry, I can't agree to this."
Lumine said helplessly, "Because I've already made a deal with the Fatui Harbinger No. 11—'Childe'. I can't break a contract."
Keqing: "…"
Liyue is a nation that values contracts. Keqing naturally understood what that meant.
It's just that…
"Don't worry. Even if we can't represent the Qixing as envoys, we'll still present the facts objectively to the adepti. We won't exaggerate or distort anything," Lumine immediately stated her stance.
"I know…" Keqing was still worried. "But it's obvious the Fatui want to take advantage of this."
Seeing her troubled, Ken said slowly, "This is something you can't avoid. Even if the Qixing send envoys, the adepti won't easily be swayed. They have their own ways of judgment; that can't be guided by others. We'll just have to meet the situation as it comes."
"You're right…" Keqing swallowed her frustration. If the adepti were that easy to guide, they wouldn't be adepti. She and Ningguang had no better plan—this was a last resort.
"If nothing else, Yuheng, you should set out for Jueyun Karst," Ken reminded.
Keqing came back to herself. "Ah… oh, right. I'll be going, then. I hope this can be resolved peacefully."
Their cooperation fell through, but Keqing wasn't too dejected.
Ken was right: adepti aren't easily guided. They'd have to play it by ear.
After Keqing left, Ken looked at Lumine and Paimon. "How about stopping by Blue Star?"
At Lumine's pace, heading for Jueyun Karst now would take at least one or two days. Rather than leaving immediately, better to rest on Blue Star for two days, then use the Vortex Gate to go straight to Jueyun Karst.
"Let's go to Blue Star. I also need to avoid the Fatui for a bit," Lumine said expectantly.
Ken nodded, withdrew the wind barrier, and walked out.
Xiangling and the others were waiting outside. Seeing Ken come out, they all smiled in relief.
They'd really worried the talk with Yuheng had collapsed.
"Thanks for lending me the kitchen today. As for the ingredients we used, send the bill to the Northland Bank… mm, you can mark it up a few dozen times," Ken patted Xiangling's shoulder. "If anyone from the Bank asks about Lumine's whereabouts, say she went to Jueyun Karst."
Xiangling's mouth fell open. "A f—few dozen times?"
"That's right. You can list some expensive ingredients; the Northland Bank will reimburse you," Ken said.
Xiangling was stunned. This… really works?
A hundredfold bill? Is the Northland Bank a sucker?
…
Leaving Wanmin Restaurant, Ken took Lumine back to the Magic City.
Back at the villa, Lumine and Paimon finally relaxed.
In heavily guarded Liyue Harbor—even inside Wanmin Restaurant—they feared TNingguang might be "listening through walls," or that Fatui agents were watching.
It was hard to truly relax, especially after slacking off and getting caught by Childe—Lumine was even more on edge.
"By the way, Ken, according to the plot, I'll have a duel with Childe later. I want to train tactics here on Blue Star so I can fight more cleanly," Lumine said after a short rest.
In the story, she did defeat Childe, but it was a bit messy. Since she knows the plot now, it wouldn't hurt to train and amaze him a little, right?
"Yeah yeah! Best if you can drop him in one go, so he knows the Fatui's schemes aren't worth a thing!"
Paimon cheered at the side.
Even though they'd fleeced Tartaglia for a lot of money, the urge to punch him was still strong.
"No can do. In the Golden House, you can't beat him within three moves."
Seeing Lumine's hopeful eyes, Ken stated the fact.
Childe has the bearing of a hungry warrior; he can even tank three casts of Musou no Hitotachi in the domain.
Just like that Hydro Hypostasis in the river—even Celestia would have to let it finish nagging before taking it down.
"Huh?" Lumine didn't quite get what Ken meant.
Ken coughed. "Never mind. But Blue Star's elemental energy is weak, so it probably won't help much. If you want to train, I can send you to Mondstadt."
"That works…" Lumine thought it over.
She did want to stay longer with Ken on Blue Star, but thinking of the upcoming events, what she needed most was to get stronger.
After sending Lumine off, the villa was quiet with just Ken.
He turned on his computer and uploaded the video he'd recorded of Venti and Zhongli in front of Liyue Specialty Shop to Facebook.
These days hadn't been busy, but the tasks were scattered. He hadn't paid much attention to Facebook or uploaded anything. As soon as the new video dropped, it drew loads of attention.
·
["What did I just see? Life's tough—gods busk? As expected of the drunkard bard and Liyue's famous street loafer."]
["Dammit… open a Barbatos banner already. Restore the wind god's glory—our duty!"]
["Waaah gimme three minutes, I want all contact info for this Rex Lapis cosplayer!"]
["'I'd buy expesive wine while we share the night'—is there a wind god banner?"]
["Livestream preview, livestream preview, you're killing me!"]
["Where's my wife Eula? I love Eula hehehe…"]
"..."
The comments poured in like bamboo shoots after the rain.
Beyond being amazed at the god-tier "cosplay," everyone was asking—per tradition—for Venti's banner.
Seeing the comments, Ken pinned his own: ["Don't worry. The preview event will feature a ten-minute PV on Venti. You'll see he's not just strong with Anemo—his healing is strong too."]
He'd already aligned the video concept with his team: use Barbatos's life as the narrative backbone, gently telling Mondstadt's history and the free god's many experiences.
It would be very heartrending… and healing.
After interacting with everyone, Ken read a few meeting reports. Before long, it was evening.
"Maybe… invite a new guest over."
He'd originally planned to check the Treasure Hoarders or Fatui bases outside Liyue to see if he could snag a few Treasure Hoarder ferrets.
But he figured that once the "Exuvia" was sent to the Golden House, Keqing would definitely sweep the factory the Fatui used—like Zhongli had mentioned. He could just tail them and pick up scraps; no need to do it himself.
The company had nothing urgent. He'd reviewed the needed reports and initiated necessary fund transfers. Better to invite another companion.
Get his pulls to forty and stack that luck.
A Vortex Gate slowly formed above the villa's living room. Ken was curious who might arrive this time.
The blind-box feeling was pretty fun.
…
Outskirts of Liyue Harbor.
Among flowers atop a steep peak stood a slender, graceful figure.
Her pale-blue flowing sleeves were embroidered with faint cloud patterns—ethereal and nimble. The contrasting black bodysuit set off her snow-white skin; sky-blue hair spilled down her back, covering her bare shoulders.
Amid the lush, azure hair, two red horns poked out, proclaiming the girl's non-human nature.
Bathed in the soft glow of sunset, the girl stood among blossoms—her immortal grace made all flowers around her pale in comparison.
"After 3,700 years of guarding Liyue, the Archon still took his leave… And me? Has my contract with him ended as well?"
"A three-thousand-year contract—long enough for the Glaze Lilies in Dihua Marsh to vanish after a flood; long enough for the bustling market at Guili Plains to become ruins after a war… Yet for me, three thousand years passed in a flash."
Gentle amethyst eyes shimmered like water, tinged with confusion.
Through a span unimaginable to mortals, she sat at Yujing Terrace, handling all matters of Liyue.
She had watched Liyue grow from nothing, seen barren shores become a flourishing harbor; seen towers rise one after another, watched Liyue stride toward prosperity.
She thought this life would stretch on and on. Yet time is merciless. Even the Geo Archon who protected Liyue for millennia faded into the river of time.
As secretary to the Qixing, Ganyu felt lost.
"Has the Archon… truly passed?"
Gazing at the distant peaks, Ganyu's jade-like face was empty with bewilderment.
Perhaps because of her adeptal blood, she'd been barred from viewing the Archon's body. The Qixing's decision left her feeling a little lonely.
After millennia of guardianship, she yearned to integrate into Liyue.
She hadn't been good at it, but as the Qixing's secretary she'd gotten along fine with generations of Qixing.
But now, with the Archon gone, the current Qixing seemed to be excluding her. The sensation made her feel isolated.
Watching clouds alone in Jueyun Karst is a solitary loneliness. Walking into the crowds of Liyue is the loneliness of a non-human among mortals.
"I hope I can collect myself soon; there's still so much work unfinished."
Ganyu sighed and sat quietly among the flowers.
The river and sunset in the distance, the rolling clouds, the magnificent landscape—it all seemed unchanged by the Archon's passing.
And that… was the saddest part.
"Hm?"
As Ganyu stared blankly ahead, the sky suddenly shimmered with seven-colored light.
The rainbow radiance flowed slowly, like the most brilliant sunset glow.
Before she could react, she felt an irresistible force tugging her body toward a door behind that prismatic light.
As Ganyu was drawn into the whirlpool gate, a small head wearing a hat poked up from the grasses not far away.
"Co… coconut goat…"
That adorable little head belonged to Qiqi of Bubu Pharmacy.
Ever since Hu Tao almost buried her last time, Baizhu hadn't let Qiqi go foraging, afraid she'd fall into Hu Tao's clutches again.
But for the past two days, Hu Tao had been strangely quiet.
Seeing how badly Qiqi wanted to gather herbs outdoors, Baizhu finally let her go to the outskirts.
As soon as she arrived, Qiqi spotted a girl in the distance with horns like a sheep's. She immediately thought she'd found the legendary coconut goat.
Qiqi scampered after her on short legs, wanting coconut milk.
But the goat was too light on her feet, and Qiqi's hopping couldn't keep up. After much effort she finally climbed to the mountaintop—only to see the coconut goat get sucked into a strange door.
"Qiqi… coconut milk… wants to drink…"
Looking at the odd door, Qiqi felt she'd seen something like it before.
She thought hard and couldn't place it, so she simply followed in the goat's footsteps and stepped through the door too.
…